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Black Holes From the LHC Could Last For Minutes

Posted by kdawson on from the becoming-greyer dept.

KentuckyFC writes "There is absolutely, positively, definitely no chance of the LHC destroying the planet (or this way either) when it eventually switches on some time later this year. And yet a few niggling doubts are persuading some scientists to run through their figures again. One potential method of destruction is that the LHC will create tiny black holes that could swallow everything in their path, including the planet. Various scientists have said this will not happen because the black holes would decay before they could do any damage. But physicists who have re-run the calculations now say that the mini black holes produced by the LHC could last for seconds, possibly minutes. Of course, the real question is whether they decay faster than they can grow. The new calculations suggest that the decay mechanism should win over and that the catastrophic growth of a black hole from the LHC 'does not seem possible' (abstract). But shouldn't we require better assurance than that?"

5 of 672 comments (clear)

  1. Its all okay. Nothing to see here. by tnk1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There is absolutely, positively, definitely no chance of the LHC destroying the planet (or this way either) when it eventually switches on some time later this year. ...

    But physicists who have re-run the calculations now say that the mini black holes produced by the LHC could last for seconds, possibly minutes. Of course, the real question is whether they decay faster than they can grow.

    Well its good to know that despite their uncertainty about the the data, they are absolutely certain of their conclusions.

  2. Well... by AltGrendel · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...there's one sure way to find out.

    Fire it up, boys!

    --
    The simple truth is that interstellar distances will not fit into the human imagination

    - Douglas Adams

  3. cosmic rays by cats-paw · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I thought that this entire line of doomerism had been dispensed with thanks to cosmic rays.

    Since cosmic rays are striking the earth all the time, and a decent percentage of them have a much higher energy level than anything the LHC can produce, we should have already seen such a phenomena.

    ?

    --
    Absolute statements are never true
    1. Re:cosmic rays by Goldsmith · · Score: 5, Insightful

      There is no need for comments on this article other than the parent. In fact, this article should just be put into idle.

      As a physicist, this whole thing has been an embarrassing reminder of just how bad physicists are at public relations and the failure of many people to think logically. I'm not the biggest fan of LHC, but I'd like to see some intelligent criticism out there (Is this really where we should be putting our smartest scientists? Are particle accelerators the best way to do this measurement?), not this junk.

    2. Re:cosmic rays by Thiez · · Score: 5, Insightful

      > Is this really where we should be putting our smartest scientists?

      What gives us the right to decide where to 'put' 'our' smartest scientists? They belong to themselves, right? It is their choice what to do with their brains (cure cancer or get drunk or work at the LHC).

      If you insist on asking a question I guess you could ask 'Do we really want to fund the LHC?'.